Passive spine braces are commonly used to treat scoliosis by helping to curtail progression of the abnormal spine curves in adolescents and prevent surgery. Conventional spine braces are generally formed of a single rigid body. Some braces apply three point loading with rotation while other braces are designed to provide traction and rotation to the spine. In general, the goals of these braces are to correct or stop the progression of abnormal curvature of the spine. However, the rigidity of these braces makes them difficult to wear for extended periods of time and interferes with typical activities of daily living. Braces have been proposed that provide flexibility, for example, SpineCor (http://www.spinecor.com) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,795,213.
In addition, core muscle strength and flexibility are important features for health and longevity. Core exercises are gaining popularity. Posture also presents health issues especially for deskbound persons and workers who perform repetitive tasks.